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This sour cream lemon raspberry bundt cake recipe gets even better with raspberries, lemon zest and a lemon glaze poured over it. It’s super moist and is the only pound cake recipe I use. This lemon raspberry cake recipe is THE cake to make this summer!
When I first started this blog, I started with a simple pound cake recipe that I have made at a local culinary school.
It was sheer perfection and I felt I had to tell the world about it. It was then that I decided to start this blog. That was back in 2011, with this Lemon Sour Cream Pound Cake Recipe.
Fast forward to 2020, with a cookbook to my name, and about 500 recipes on the blog I keep coming back to this recipe.
I love changing it up in so many ways. And have countless times. I have made just a lemon pound cake version, a grapefruit pound cake and a strawberry pound cake version.
Today raspberries are going to shine in this beloved bundt cake recipe. I mean raspberries and lemon. You just know that’s going to be good.
Why Is It Called A Pound Cake?
You might think it’s because it makes you put on a pound or two. And sure that could be true. But it’s actually because the original pound cake recipe was made with a pound of 4 ingredients- a pound of butter, pound of eggs, pound of flour, and a pound of sugar.
I’m not actually sure then this is a true “pound cake” based on those measurements, but it is in texture and flavor. Buttery, tender crumb, light and delicate all at the same time.
What’s The Difference Between A Sponge Cake and Pound Cake?
The two major types of cake are shortened or butter cakes, like a pound cake, and and foam or sponge cakes. Sponge or foam cakes rely on air being whipped into the eggs to help the cake rise once its in the oven. In a sponge cake, the whole egg is whisked with sugar over a double boiler and then whipped on high speed in your mixer to incorporate the air.
With a pound cake, like this recipe the butter and sugar are creamed together and the sifted dry ingredients together.
Tips For Making This Lemon Raspberry Cake Recipe
- Careful when zesting. When zesting the citrus, make sure to go only down to the white pith layer. The white pith layer is bitter so you want to make sure to not zest this layer, just the outer layer.
- Soften Your Butter. You want properly softened butter so that you can cream mixture properly. The sugar punches holes into the butter creating air pockets, which helps to aerate and help the cake to rise. Here are 3 quick ways to soften your butter.
- Bring your eggs to room temperature. You don’t want cold eggs being added to your creamed butter mixture. It will seize up the butter. So place your eggs in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes before using them.
How To Make This Lemon Raspberry Bundt Cake Recipe
You want to start by sifting your dry ingredients together. Sifting, I know, can be a pain. But it does help to evenly mix your dry ingredients and help aerate the mixture creating a light fluffy cake. So stop whining, grab the sifter and get to sifting.
In a small bowl, you want to zest your lemon. And stir in the sour cream and vanilla extract.
Then you want to cream together your butter and sugar. Then add in your eggs one at a time until they are thoroughly mixed in.
Then alternate the sour cream mixture and your dry ingredients. You want to start with the dry ingredients and end with the dry ingredients. I add the dry ingredients in 3 batches, and the sour cream mixture in 2 batches.
And then go ahead and fold in your raspberries. Be gentle!
Then go ahead and spray your bundt cake pan. You want to wait and do this at the end. The non stick cooking spray can slip down the sides of the bundt pan if its done too early. And then go ahead and spoon the batter into the pan and bake for about 50 minutes in a preheated oven.
Lemon Raspberry Bundt Cake Recipe FAQ’s
Can I Use A Different Type of Zest?
You definitely can. Lime, orange, grapefruit. It’s up to you!
Can I Use Greek Yogurt Instead Of Sour Cream?
Absolutely. I have and it’s still delicious!
Can I Use Frozen Raspberries?
Yes, just don’t thaw them first or they will release too much liquid. Just stir them in gently.
Can I Use A Different Berry?
Why not! Try strawberries, blueberries, or a combination of all three!
Why is my lemon raspberry cake not done in the middle?
This can happen if it cooks too fast, creating a crust on the outside leaving the middle uncooked. This could mean your oven temperature is too high. Do yourself a favor and get an oven thermometer to double check the accuracy of your oven.
Why does my lemon raspberry pound cake sink in the middle?
This usually means the cake is not done. Again, do yourself a favor and check that oven temperature. And be sure to not peek during the baking process! Keep that oven door closed.
How do I keep my lemon raspberry bundt cake from sticking?
All those beautiful edges can be a real nightmare for getting your cake out. A few tips:
- Grease and flour your pan right before filling. The longer the coating sits the more it has a tendency to slide down the sides.
- Grease and flour it properly and thoroughly. I like to place plastic wrap over the pan and shake the flour around. You can read about how to grease your bundt pan here.
- Use cake release. It’s magical stuff and easy to make it yourself. Your cake will just slide right out.
How can I tell when my lemon raspberry cake is finished baking?
To test when lemon raspberry cake is done, I like to use a long wooden skewer to insert into the cake and see if there are moist crumbs that cling to it. My biggest worry is overbaking it. So making sure my oven temperature is running correctly, I can then set my timer and check it with the skewer to ensure it’s done properly and not overbaked.
More Cake Recipes
- Chocolate Coconut Cake
- Fresh Strawberry Pound Cake (with strawberry glaze!)
- Lemon Sour Cream Pound Cake Recipe
- The BEST carrot layer cake
- Grapefruit Pound Cake
- Momofuku Milk Bar Cake
- Blueberry Lemon Crumb Cake
- Banana Cake Recipe
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Lemon Raspberry Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks, 227 g) unsalted butter softened
- 2 1/4 cups (443 g) granulated sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 1/2 cups (300 g) all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 cup (227 g) sour cream
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 2 cups (240 g) raspberries
For the Lemon Glaze
- 1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
- 3-4 Tbs. lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 1 tsp. lemon zest optional
Instructions
- Sift dry ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.
- In another bowl, combine lemon zest, vanilla extract and sour cream.
- In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the mixing bowl well after each addition and mix until blended.
- Add dry and wet ingredients alternately to butter-sugar-egg mixture until uniformly incorporated- do not overmix.
- Fold in raspberries.
- Grease and flour one bundt cake pan (or 2 large loaf pans- or 6-7 mini loaf pans). Pour batter into pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees oven for approximately 50 minutes (be sure to lower the baking time if you are making things smaller). The cake is done when a toothpick or skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool before glazing.
- For the glaze: Mix all ingredients until smooth. Pour over top of cake and serve. For a thicker glaze use less lemon juice.
Notes
Soften Your Butter. You want properly softened butter so that you can cream mixture properly. The sugar punches holes into the butter creating air pockets, which helps to aerate and help the cake to rise. Here are 3 quick ways to soften your butter.
Bring your eggs to room temperature. You don't want cold eggs being added to your creamed butter mixture. It will seize up the butter. So place your eggs in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes before using them.
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